Please Note: These are predictions of what will happen at a specific tournament on a specific date. They are not seedings or rankings. We have seen all the results and made predictions based off those results. We may predict someone to win, even if they recently lost to a conference opponent, but that does not mean we did not see the results.
All week long, d3wrestle.com will be publishing previews of each of the NCAA qualifying tournaments to be held this weekend. In addition to predicting winners and identifying the top athletes at each weight, we will attempt to predict all 160 qualifiers based on the number of wildcards available for each qualifying tournament. With nine qualifiers, d3wrestle.com will publish two each day, with the last one appearing Friday morning.
Midwest Region – 15 qualifiers
Predicted Team Champion: Delaware Valley
Top Individual: Mike Wilcox, Delaware Valley
Returning NCAA Qualifiers: Chris Sheetz (Delaware Valley 125, 6th NCAA), Rob Miller (Thiel 125), Brandon Clemmer (Delaware Valley 133), Jason Brew (Olivet 157, 2nd NCAA), Kyle Vanderhyde (Olivet 174, 4th NCAA), Mike Wilcox (Delaware Valley 184, 2nd NCAA), Kyle Bilquist (Delaware Valley 285, 5th NCAA)
A very strong group of qualifiers will come out of the Midwest this year. Led by NCAA #2 Delaware Valley, this group could realistically come home with 10-12 All-Americans out of 15 qualifiers. Delaware Valley could have as many as nine qualifiers as they attempt to make a run at a national championship. #1 Mike Wilcox is the top athlete as a returning runner up, but Olivet has a pair with NCAA finals experience in high school teammates Jason Brew and Kyle Vanderhyde.  One of the more intriguing matchups in all the NCAA qualifying tournaments should take place at 174 between two time All-American Vanderhyde and the very talented Rocky Mantella of Delaware Valley. Vanderhyde is ranked 2nd in the nation, and Mantella is undefeated in half a season of work.
Weight by Weight (predicted qualifiers in bold)
125 Prediction: Chris Sheetz, Delaware Valley
Top Challengers: Rob Miller, Thiel; Brandon Harvey, Trine; Zach Cecchetti, Washington & Jefferson
133 Prediction: Brandon Clemmer, Delaware Valley
Top Challengers: Cory Brown, Thiel; Nick Garber, Waynesburg
141 Prediction: Rob Yahrmarkt, Olivet
Top Challenges: Eric McCann, Delaware Valley; Eric Meyer, Mount St. Joseph
149 Prediction: Andrew Gardella, Case Western Reserve
Top Challengers: Dale Fava, Delaware Valley; Dave Harris, MSJ; Jared Tribbett, Wabash; Jesse Byerly, Waynesburg
157 Prediction: Jason Brew, Olivet
Top Challengers: Isaac Dukes, Case; Bryan Massong, MSJ
165 Prediction: Justin Barowski, Delaware Valley
Top Challengers: Tyler Goble, Rose-Hulman; Kyle Long, Trine
174 Prediction: Kyle Vanderhyde, Olivet
Top Challengers: Rocky Mantella, Delaware Valley; Nick Kraus, Trine
184 Prediction: Mike Wilcox, Delaware Valley
Top Challengers: Louis Posa, Trine; Chad Craft, MSJ
197 Prediction: Corbin Semple, Waynesburg
Top Challengers: Jeff Siciliano, Delaware Valley; Alex Fleet, Trine
285 Prediction: Kyle Bilquist, Delaware Valley
Top Challenger: Sean Misko, Olivet
Del Valley gets five at best. This is a sneaky tough qualifier! I’m predicting several surprises Saturday!
Del Val could get 5 with their back- ups! Get Real!
Is Tucker done for Olivet. Can Rob make the weight with the ncaa rules
Tucker is gone, and yes, Rob has followed the NCAA rules.
Unfortunately, word out of Waynesburg is that Byerly is still recovering from his severe concussion at PACs and won’t be able to compete. Word is the coaches made the decision.
Very tough regional / qualifier! Love to see the OC Comets surprise some folks here and at NCAAs. Watch for Garber at 133 — very tough kid.
gots a call last nite from kuz out in iowa u no da one calls hisself da kentuky muddflapper anyhoo he aks me my thawts and preminishins on dis here midwest regional sence i be takin root 80 to take a peak see on saturdey first off i told em that dose east coast timeouters at dellval got demselves a reel nice skwad dis seazen and dey mite just be da best four year junyer college team dis hilbily ever saw dat sheetz kid well he just as soon pop your head like a zit in dat der headlock a his mite be da best i saw since kuz flapper took down a steer at da kounty fare rodeo in 84 ya coach toten gots his boyz off da saus dis seazen and i cant reely see anyones hangin two close on saturdey peeps give dat mantala kid all sorts a grief just cawz he throwd down a cupple a barleysodas over da years but hell aint one a u boyz hadnt guzzld a lil two much saus and had da bracelets throwd on ya a time or 2 say it aint so and i kall ya a liar den u gots dose tristaters dey got good reel qwik and mantala bets not look past dat german kid from tristate cuz if hes thinking two much bout vandiehelder he mite just loos in da semis dat der 174 is bout like new yearz eve at my kuzzes hous u just dont no who mite get throwd down yup der are sum tuffins gunna be in angoley on saturdey u gots bilkwist and wilcox and giardelli and even tho i dont care much for dat state up north u gots to give dat brewski kid some cred hes reel tuff and with a name like dat id be gettin me a bud contrac fer sur well i reckin i better gets goin or da bosman not gonna like a buncha dirti terlits at da rest stop here see ya in angoley
… wow (Response to muddflap)
Although it hurt my brain to try and make sense of all of that…. Muddflap Kin actually does have some pretty good opinions.
best d3 post ever, flap
Hey Muddflap….you sure can flap it…. that Mantella ….I give him a lot of credit…..way to go Rocky !! Great Job Del Val…..Double C
Wow, those results at 141? Guess that’s why they wrestle the matches?
Delaware Valley Wrestlers and Coaches deserved the win…what a great team of wrestlers they put together for 2009… Those Aggies have tough individual competitors at several weights….but overall … they represent a TEAM which is rare in this competition.
Freddy from Indy
Hey Fred-as a high school coach you put together some team too-good to see you at the match-I agree with you about Del Val-tough group to beat for our boys———————— Jack the Big Boy
MANTELLA(ow)
What did i tell you all. Del Val will win it and they have 5 national finalists we will see who will bring home the gold at NCAA’s. Del Vall NCAA champs, Mantella OW (again) and Totten coach of the year…… HOLLLAAAAA!!!!
who the hell is Mantella lover 69? this is his girlfriend????
As Rocks girlfriend, I want to say congrads to him on his recent win at regionals… way to go babe!
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